60 Things I've Learned From My Mom
Happy 60th Birthday, crazy lady!
My mom turns 60 today, and I’ve been trying to figure out how to put into words what she means to me. Sixty years of her being exactly who she is — warm, fun, endlessly generous, and the kind of person who makes everyone around her feel like the most important person in the room. Not a day goes by that I'm not grateful for her, for our relationship, for the family we have, and for the community she's built around us. I'm so excited to celebrate her today — and while words will never be enough, they're my favorite way to try.
So I made her a list. Because if there’s one thing she taught me, it’s that a good list gets things done. Here are 60 things I’ve learned from her — some silly, some serious, and some I didn’t even realize she taught me until I sat down to write this. All of them true!
60 Things My Mom Taught Me
She taught me girl math. Trust me, she pioneered it before it had a name.
She taught me to be kind. And to be even kinder when someone isn’t. I used to hate when she said this. Now it’s helped me in more situations than I can count.
She taught me that a walk can solve a lot of problems. Before we get worked up, let’s go on a walk.
She taught me to wrap gifts beautifully. The tulle bow may seem simple, but it matters.
She taught me to care about other people — to spoil them, to feed them, and to show up for them when they need you.
She taught me to be early. Not because she is, but because I spent my whole childhood showing up late with her.
She taught me about “old lady naps.” Shut the house down at 3pm, close the blinds, take a little rest, and regroup for the evening around 5pm. One of her greatest gifts to me.
She taught me to get the fun and fancy plates out whenever the heck you want!!
She taught me that getting gifts for people doesn’t stop at birthdays and Christmas — and it doesn’t have to be expensive to be special.
She taught me to take a deep breath before reacting — and to listen before questioning. There might be a reason someone did something differently.
She taught me to cook and to love it. She’s much better at it than I am, but she showed me how enjoyable it can be to actually love what you’re doing in the kitchen — and to not be scared. That girl has never followed a recipe in her life, and if you like a meal, well good, enjoy it — because it will never taste the same way again.
She taught me that if the windows are down and the music is really loud, no one around us cares and we won’t get in trouble.
She taught me to slowly bring the shopping bags in if Dad’s home. Never all at once!
She taught me that clean sheets and matching jammies make you sleep better.
She taught me that missing out or not being invited isn’t always a bad thing. It might be a blessing in disguise.
She taught me that working while being a mom is the coolest thing ever. She showed me what it looks like to do both and still show up fully for the people who mattered most.
She made my brother and me sit in a room together when we got in trouble — and I’m convinced that’s why we’re best friends today.
She taught me that you don’t have to wait until someone asks for help. If you see what needs to be done, you simply step in and do it.
She taught me that friendships are something to pour into and take care of — and they're supposed to bring joy to your life.
If my brother and I were whining, she would say “I can whine louder than you” — and we would instantly stop. It helps me rethink complaining even to this day. We’d always end up laughing instead.
She taught me that when you clean your house, you don’t have to cook that night. Because why would you dirty the stove you just worked so hard on?
She taught me that family vacations make big memories and the scary world feel a little smaller. They are important and worth it. Go!!
She taught me to stand up for the people you love — even if that means telling the concrete to be nice. When I was little and would fall down, she'd look at the ground and say, "Mr. Concrete, you be nice to my Lindsey." I think about that more than she knows.
She taught me to treat everyone with respect and to look them in the eyes. I used to think that if my head was pointed in someone’s direction, they couldn’t see where my eyes were actually looking. They could!
She taught me that getting older isn’t scary. Life just keeps getting better with the right attitude. Things change, but they grow and evolve — don’t be afraid of a new season.
She taught me to always have a brownie mix in the house. Always!!
She taught me that genuinely loving people and truly wanting the best for them is so much more fun than being competitive or jealous.
She taught me to try by myself before asking for help. We can do it!
She taught me that worrying is “stinking thinking” — and to move your body instead of your mind when things feel too big in your brain.
She taught me that the taller the Christmas tree, the better.
She taught me that the people you love deserve a spot on the calendar — not just the leftover time.
She taught me to say “Thank you for calling the Goddard School, this is Lindsey, how can I help you?” — and when I got to say that for the very first time, it was magical. I wanted to answer the phone just like her. Give tours just like her. And that’s what we’ve done together for a lot of years.
She taught me that messes clean up. I’m still learning this one — but I can hear her in the back of my head every time.
She taught me that if you have a migraine, a new pair of shoes and a Coke will help. I told my second grade teacher this as true advice.
She taught me that caring for people who work for you and with you like true friends and family is so much better than being a big mean boss. Everyone is a team when you work together!
She taught me to pray before meals and to be grateful for your day out loud.
She taught me that marriage can be fun and wonderful — and that there might be hard days, but that’s just life.
She taught me to stand up for what I believe and fight for what I want.
She taught me that when my kids go to college, I don't need to send them with as much stuff as she sent me with. And that they come back home — so don't freak out (like she did).
She never made me clean my room, which taught me to care about my things on my own. The messes you create are yours to clean up. (Yikes on my end!)
She taught me that no party has too many details — and that you're never “too much” for being creative or going the extra mile.
She taught me that Mass is important. She used to ask what we got out of the homily to make sure we were listening. Apparently I wasn’t listening … a lot.
She taught me that laundry will shrink in the dryer — by shrinking some of my favorite clothes — which is why I air dry everything.
She taught me that time with grandparents is treasured time. She talks about hers every single day.
She taught me to find a good hairdresser, because she also gave me the genes for gray hair before college.
She taught me to care about my own grades by asking “did you try your hardest?” — and man, did I care.
She taught me to trust people — and to trust my own instincts when they tell me I shouldn’t.
She taught me that driving really fast does, in fact, get you somewhere faster.
She taught me that helping in your community and at church is a wonderful part of life.
She taught me that there’s nothing better than snuggling a baby. And definitely don’t sit down if they’re happy — keep moving!
She taught me that hard and stressful times happen — and honestly, I can’t think of many from growing up, because she stayed so positive on the outside. It showed me that you get through them. And that a positive outlook actually does make it better.
She taught me that when really special people pass away, they can live on with you and through you. Pick something you loved about them and make it important to you.
She taught me that my life inside my four walls matters more than what anyone else thinks of it — and that’s okay.
She taught me to parallel park a Suburban so I’d never be stuck anywhere — and came to get me from school one day just to practice driving in the rain so I’d be confident in any weather.
She taught me to be humble. To not need the credit, the recognition, or the loudest voice in the room. To just do the good thing and move on.
She taught me that reading books and watching shows just for yourself is so fun — and leads to the best conversations.
She taught me that you can do it all — but accepting help isn’t a bad thing.
She taught me that the dogs need cute collars for every season.
She taught me to never hang up the phone or say goodbye without saying “I love you.”
She taught me that no matter how far apart we are, we’re always looking at the same moon. That’s one of the most comforting things in my life.
If you’ve gotten this far, you already know how much I love her.
28 years in, and I’m still taking notes. I don’t think I’ll ever stop! There is so much more she has to teach me, and honestly, I can’t wait. About motherhood, about patience, about how to make a room feel like home, about all the things I don’t even know I don’t know yet.
Thank you, Mom. For every single thing on this list and everything that didn’t make it. For making hard things look easy and ordinary things feel special. For showing up, every single time, in every single way.
You are my best friend. And the older I get, the more grateful I am that you’re mine.
Happy Birthday!
Gosh, I love this!